Alaskan Fly Fishing Handbook

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Fishing in Alaska for the first time?

Brad Elfers has been a fly fishing & river guide in Alaska since 1993.He opened Alaska Fly Fishing Goods in 1998.

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The start of the summer season is heralded by the return of the sockeye salmon. Reds, so named for the brilliant crimson coloring of their spawning phase, are sometimes recalcitrant biters, and will often frustrate the angler faced with so many unwilling dance partners. Have no fear, just persevere...sockeye are often attracted to small offerings, and flies such as the Sockeye Lantern , Red Hot , Sockeye Fly , and similar patterns in small sizes will sometimes "crack the code" and result in hookups.

The long summer days of June also bring the first runs of king salmon to the rivers. The legendary kings of the Kenai River can reach 90+ Lbs, and many 50-60 lb fish are caught every year. Many other regions have king runs as well, and these fish are the pinnacle of the heavyweight sport fishing experience in Alaska. Articulated Hareball Leeches , Fat Alberts , and Guide Intruders are good choices when pursuing kings.

Dollies and cutthroat are readily available in June with good fishing to be had on saltwater beaches, especially near the mouths of salmon streams. As with the springtime fishing, minnow flies like the Stinger Clouser and Rainbow Minnow are the patterns to have on hand.

Dolly Varden and rainbow trout are also available in the rivers of the Kenai Peninsula, Interior and Bristol Bay. These fish will still chase minnow patterns and can also be caught on sculpin patterns such as Sculpzilla and the Dolly Llama.